JOE BIDEN has failed his “first real test” as US President following the news Republicans are set to take a major scalp in Virginia.
Republican Glenn Youngkin will become the state’s next governor just a year after Mr Biden took office. When confirmed, Mr Youngkin will become the first Republican to be elected to a statewide office in Virginia since 2009. Despite winning the election last year, the President remained confident his party would win on Tuesday.
The election in Virginia is seen as a barometer of Mr Biden’s approval as it stands a year out from the US-Midterm elections.
Indeed, Playbook claimed the election was the first real test for the US election.
They said: “The first true electoral test of Joe Biden’s US Presidency took place on Tuesday in a series of elections, including the Virginia governor’s race, historically seen as a bellwether halfway between the last election and the next midterm.”
Andrew Neil also claimed the result is a “major upset” for the party.
He said: “Republicans win Virginia governor’s race in major upset for Democrats.”
Although not all votes have been counted, Mr Youngkin is 2.7 points ahead of his Democrat rival Terry McAuliffe.
Approximately 95 percent of votes have been counted.
In a speech to his supporters, Mr Youngkin said the result would be a “defining moment”.
He added: “Together, we will change the trajectory of this commonwealth.
“And friends, we are going to start that transformation on day one.”
In 2020, Mr Biden won the state by 10 percent ahead of Donald Trump.
In a further blow to Mr Biden, the state is set to elect a Republican lieutenant governor.
In New Jersey, Democratic governor Phil Murphy is in a tight race to retain his seat against his Republican rival, Jack Ciatterelli.
Mr Youngkin added: “We’re going to embrace our parents, not ignore them.
“We’re going to press forward with a curriculum that includes listening to parents, as well as a curriculum that allows our children to run as fast as they can, teaching them how to think, enabling their dreams to soar.
“Friends, we are going to reestablish excellence in our schools.”
Despite the impending defeat, Mr McAuliffe refused to concede to his rival.
He told his supporters on Tuesday night: “We still got a lot of votes to count.
Source: The express.co.uk